THE JAMAICA EARTHQUAKE 393 



a low fence and get into the street in about forty seconds. The increase 

 and decrease of the tremors are so gradual that it is very difficult for an 

 observer to tell just when the shock comes and when it ends. From the 

 majority of the testimony it is evident that in this disaster the move- 

 ment quickly reached the major climax in about ten seconds, then less- 

 ened in intensity for about ten more, then gently swelled to a second 

 and minor climax and disappeared in a total of about thirty-five seconds. 

 While there were apparently . no preliminary shocks at Jamaica, 

 there have been many sequent vibrations of the earth, more or less 

 severe. The press has chronicled one on February 23, which was the 

 strongest since the earthquake, and another one also was noted on 

 March 22. Mr. Maxwell Hall has noticed some eighty shocks after 

 the main shock on January 14 to February 5, several of them shaking 

 the whole island, while others were of local extent. On the early morn- 

 ing of January 28 one small shock awakened me instantly by a slight 

 shaking of my cot in the tent in which we were sheltered. The con- 

 tinuance of the motion gave one a sense of insecurity and unsteadiness, 

 and brought with it a slight tinge of dread and nausea. My first im- 

 pression upon waking was of a rushing, whistling sound from the 

 southwest; it increased and passed overhead, rapidly lessening and dis- 

 appearing. It was very similar in sound to the approach and passing 

 of a large flock of ducks flying low. Then from the race-course, only 

 a quarter mile distant and only a short time quieted, came the cries of 

 the frightened negroes and the howls of the numerous dogs with which 

 Kingston is cursed, and the crowing of the many roosters in the trees 

 — as they did about every hour during the night. The shock felt on 

 board the moving Port Antonio train produced a feeling as if the 

 coaches were running upon the sleepers and at the same time swaying 

 so much that it seemed as if they would topple over to the southeast. 

 No damage, however, was done to any of the rolling stock or to the 

 roadbed. In none of the many tunnels was any displacement ob- 

 served. A man driving on the road suddenly felt his vehicle thrown 

 in an angling position across the road and it seemed difficult for the 

 horse to keep its footing. It was observed, however, that motion some- 

 times counteracted the vibration of the ground and made the latter 

 imperceptible. 



The sketch map (Fig. 1) shows by the isoseismal lines the relative 

 intensity of the shock at Kingston as compared with other places on 

 the island. It has seemed rather strange that the most intense destruc- 

 tion should happen to occur just where a large number of buildings are 

 found. But in the case of Kingston, the gravelly foundation in prox- 

 imity to the epicenter readily accounts for the destruction. 



8 Personal communication to the writer. 



